Parts of Speech

nouns

verbs

  • express action/s
  • verb phrases
  • verb forms
    • infinitive
    • conjugations
    • participles
      • verb forms that act like an adjective
      • "past participle"
        • verbs in the past tense used as an adjective
        • where the simple past tense of a verb is used to show a condition of something
        • typically are -ed -en and -t forms
        • includes irregular verbs in the past tense, such as "to be" "to go" etc.
past participles as adjectives examples:
    • "Boiled water is sanitized" ("boiled" and "sanitized" describe the water)
    • "The glass was broken when I found it" ("was broken" describes the glass)
    • "The cut flowers are pretty" ("cut -

Click EXPAND to see examples of past participles

      • "present participle"
        • uses the -ing form of a verb as an adjective
present participles as adjectives examples:
    • "The boiling water is hot" (describes the water)
    • "This trip is exciting" (modifies or describes the trip)
    • "The directions are confusing" (modifies the directions)

Click EXPAND to see examples of present particples

    • gerunds
      • verbs that act as nouns
      • use the -ing form of the verb
gerund (participles as nouns) examples:
    • "to swim" + -ing = "swimming" = a noun for the act of swimming
    • "Swimming is fun"
    • "Boiling water sanitizes it" ("boiling" is an act, therefore a noun, from the verb "to boil")

Click EXPAND to see examples of gerunds

      • Note:
        • gerunds are often interchangeable with infinitives
          • "I hate doing math" versus "I hate to do math"
        • however, note that gerunds and infinitives may act differently in terms of the object of the sentence
how gerunds and infinitives change the meaning of a sentence:

"Burland advocated using soil extraction:"

  • A) NO CHANGE
    • "Burland advocated using..." = he advocates for the use of soil extraction (he advocates the the object)
  • B) advocated to use
    • "Burland advocated to use..." = he advocates "to use" (he advocates the action)
  • A) NO CHANGE is correct because it is the object of the sentence, "soil extraction," that Burland advocates, not the action of its use (to use")

conjugations

adverbs

adjectives

  • modify nouns

articles

  • definite
    • the
    • refers to a specific noun, usually already stated or defined
  • indefinite
  • a or an
    • refers to a general noun, usually not already stated or defined
    • indefinite articles are not used to refer to a general noun or one that cannot be counteed
      • ex. "water" cannot be counted, so "a water" is incorrect
        • "may I have a water" should be instead "may I have some water"
    • zero articles
      • when the noun represents a generic idea, the article can be omitted
      • ex.
        • "They went on vacation" as opposed to "they went on a vacation "
  • see

pronouns

prepositions

  • express relationship in time, place, or sequence

interjections

  • aside remarks or interruptions
  • exclamation
    • expresses a spontaneous reaction or emotion
      • examples
        • "no!"
        • "okay"
        • "damn!"
        • "heh!"


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